Ball projecting apparatus



April 1963 A. E. GOLDFARB ETAL 3,084,680

' BALL PROJECTING APPARATUS Filed May 26, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ADOLPH E. GOLDFARB 8. HENRY G. SAPERSTEIM.

INVENTORS.

HERZ/G 8 JESSUP,

ATTORNEYS April 9, 1963 A. E. GOLDFARB ETAL BALL PROJECTING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 26, 1959 ADOLPH E GOLDFARB 8.

HENRY G. "SAPERSTEIN,

INVENTORS.

HERZ/G 8 JESSUP,

ATZ'ORNEYS,

April 9, 1963 Filed May 26, 1959 -A. E. GOLDFARB ETAL BALL PROJECTING APPARATUS s Sheets-She et s ADOLPH E. GOLDFARB &

HENRY 6. SA PERSTEIN.

1NVENTOR$.

HERZ/G 8 JESSU ATTORNEYS.

dfiddfidh Patented Apr. 9, 19(53 3,084,68tl BALL PRGXECTiNG APPARATUS Adolph E. Golofarh, 627 Nagie Ave, North Hollywood,

Calif., and Henry G. Saperstein, 9311 Readcrest, Beverly Hills, Calif.

Filed May 26, 195%, Ser. No. 815,869 6 Claims. (Cl. ll2 -l--ll6) This invention relates to ball projecting machines and more particularly to an apparatus adapted to successively project a series of balls, one at a time in varied trajectories and distances.

More specifically, this invention comprises a continually operating machine having a magazine adapted to support a plurality of balls, means for releasing one ball at a time from the magazine and into the path of a rotatable projecting means or striking arm for successively projecting each of the released balls, means for intermittently and cyclically operating the striking arm to project the ball in a predetermined path and means whereby the machine is automatically turned off when the magazine is exhausted of the balls.

Although in the past, several ball throwing machines have been developed which are capable of ejecting one ball at a time in a predetermined path or trajectory, they have presented many disadvantages. One disadvantage of such prior art machines is excessive size and weight, rendering them impractical and cumbersome to transport, ship and store. Furthermore, many of these machines rely upon yielding or unyielding stops cooperating with the projection means thereof for catapulting a ball whereby the machine is subjected to damaging impact, thus rendering the machine relatively noisy and short-lived.

Another disadvantage of the prior art devices is the provision of such relatively heavy construction whereby proportionate heavy duty driving means must be employed for the operation thereof, the driving means being necessarily of such proportionate power as to render the machine impractical to operate by portable energizing circuits including a battery of dry cells, or the like.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a new and improved ball-projecting apparatus which is capable of projecting a series of balls, one at a time, in a predetermined path or trajectory.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved ball ejecting apparatus which provides improved means for varying the trajectory and the distance of projection of the balls.

A further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved ballprojecting apparatus which incorporates new and improved ball projection means which is continually energized for intermittent projection of balls, such projection means including means responsive to centrifugal force for operation with a minimum of impact or shock for a guieter and a longer-lived performance.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved means incorporated within a ball-projecting apparatus of the character described by which the apparatus is automatically shut off when a magazine for holding a series of balls is exhausted of the balls.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus which is relatively compact and light in weight, portable and easily set up and readily adjustable for eflicient and varied performance.

It is likewise another object of this invention to provide a new and improved apparatus of the character described which is economical to manufacture, capable of mass production and inter-changeability of parts thereof.

A general object of this invention is to provide a new and improved ball-projecting apparatus which overcomes disadvantages of prior means and methods heretofore in tended to accomplish generally similar purposes.

These and other objects of this invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description, drawlugs and appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view, in elevation, of a ball-ejecting apparatus designed and constructed in accordance with this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional View thereof, taken substantially along a line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken substantially along a line 33 of FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along a line 4-4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along a line 5--5 of FIGURE 4, with parts shown in elevation;

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 66 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary view, similar to a portion of FIGURE 4 showing projection means thereof in another position;

FIGURE 8 is a crosssectional view, similar to a portion of FIGURE 3, showing adjustment means for the projecting means in greater detail;

FIGURE 9 is a schematic wiring diagram illustrating more clearly an electrical circuit incorporated within the apparatus; and

FIGURE 10 is a perspective view, in elevation, of the apparatus of FIGURE 1 illustrating another embodiment of magazine or ball-feeding means therefor.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown, by way of illustration, but not of limitation, a ballprojecting apparatus, generally designated by the numeral It), designed and constructed in accordance with this invention, The apparatus ill includes a housing 11 which is preferably die cast, or molded by any suitable means, to form a hollow interior 12 in which a projecting means 13 is disclosed for projecting a series of balls 1 supported on a ball support means or magazine 16, removably secured on the housing 11 whereby the balls are released one at a time for projection outwardly of the housing as through an opening 17 thereof.

The housing 11 is preferably formed as by a pair of halves 18 and 19 permanently or otherwise secured as by an adhesive material at adjoining open faces 21, and can be molded of any suitable material such as plastics, metal or the like to form a relatively light housing of very compact proportions for facilitating storage, shipping and portability. The housing 11 includes a pivotally mounted standard 22 comprising a U-shaped wire or rod having outwardly extending :ends 23 pivotally mounted in bosses 24 secured to or integral with the lower half portion 19 of the housing 11. The standard 22 is employed to support the housing in an inclined position and to adjust the trajectory of projection of the balls 14, or as a handle to faciltate carrying of the housing 11. In order to adjust the trajectory of the balls 14 as they are being projected outwardly of the housing 1 1, the inner face of each of the bosses 24 is provided with a plurality of grooves 26, best seen in FIG. 5, for receiving therein the legs 27 of the standard 22 whereby the inclination of the housing 11 may be varied. The housing 11 is illustrated herein as being a mean position with the legs 27 in a centermost groove 26 whereas engagement of the legs 27 with adjacent angularly disposed groves 26, 26", increases or decreases, respectively, the angular relationship of the housing to the ground, indicated at 28, with the bight portion 29 of the U-shaped standard 22 resting on the ground 28. The legs 27 may be adjusted into a position of engagement with a groove substantially parallel to the outer wall of the housing 11 and extending outwardly from the piv- 3 otal connection of the standard 22, into a position indicated in broken lines 22 in FIG. 2, whereby the housing may be carried by gripping the bight portion 29 of the standard 22. For storing or packing, the standard 22 may be pivoted to a position indicated in dotted lines 22" wherein the legs 27 are engaged with an inwardly extending grooved portion of the groove 26 and lying in a position adjacent the outer wall of the housing portion 19.

The ball support means or magazine 16 may be conveniently formed by a U-shaped wire having substantially parallel legs 32 whose ends 33 are removably inserted into apertures 34 provided adjacent an extension 36 of the housing portion 18. The extension 36 is provided with opening 37 extending therethrough and communicating with the interior of the housing 11 for receiving one ball 14 at a time therethrough. The ball support means 16 is inclined as indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2 whereby the balls '14 are fed by gravity into the opening 37.

As a ball 14 enters the housing 11, via the extension 36, it is restrained from entering the path of the projecting means 13 by a ball-releasing means 38 pivotally mounted on a bracket 39 secured within the housing 11. The ballreleasing means 38 comprises a bell crank 40' having an arm 41 secured, as by welding or the like, to a shaft 42 rotata-bly supported on the bracket 39 and a releasable holding means in the form of a trigger 43 secured to or formed integrally with the shaft 42 and extending adjacent the projecting means 13 for holding the projecting means for energization, as will be hereinafter'described. The arm 41 extends partially across the opening 37 for contact with a ball 14 entering the extension 36 and includes a switch arm 44 of relatively flexible electrical conductive material insulated from the arm 38 as by an insulating block 46. The switch arm 44 extends substantially parallel to the arm 41 and across the opening 37 whereby each ball 14, as it drops through the opening 37, biases the outer end of the switch arm 44 into contact with the arm 38 to close a circuit 47 illustrated in FIG. 9, whereby a conductor 48, having one end secured to a terminal of a motor 49 and its other end secured to the switch element 44, is electrically connected to a conductor 51, as through the insulated arm 41, to an electrical source of power indicated at the battery of cells 52 connected to the motor in series as by another conductor 53. In this manner, as long as a ball 14 rests upon the switch plate 44 to bring the blade 44 in contact with the arm 41, the series circuit is closed to operate the motor 49. When the balls '14 are completely exhausted from the ball support means 16 there is no bias of the switch element 44 against the arm 41 and the circuit 47 is opened to stop the motor 49.

The releasing means 38 isactuated by the projecting means 13, as will be hereinafter explained, to pivot the arm 41, against the bias of a spring 54, around the axis of a shaft 42 to move the arm 41 from the position shown in solid lines of FIG. 4 to the broken line position indicated at 41 in the same figure. A circuit-holding means 56 in the form of an inwardly projecting strip 57 of nonconductive material, seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, retains the switch blade 44 in contact with the arm 41 during its pivotal movement to hold the circuit 47 in a closed state whereby the motor 49 is continually operated. The switch element 44 is biased against the arm 41 to complete the circuit only as long as there are balls 14 fed into contact with the element 44, by gravity, from the magazine 16. When the balls 14 are exhausted from the ball support means 16, the switch element 44, when in the position in solid lines in FIG. 4 extending across the opening 37, is free to open the circuit 47, by assuming its normally-open position, to stop the motor 49. The motor 49 is secured within the housing 11 as by an extension bracket 58 at its upper end 62 of the motor shaft '63. The shaft 63 has secured thereto a spur gear 64 of reduced diameter in engagement with an enlarged gear 66 of a gear train 67 secured between the bracket extension 61 and the bracket 39 proper to substantially reduce the revolutions per minute of a shaft 68.0f the projecting means 13 driven by the motor 49 through the gear train 67.

The projecting means 13 comprises a batting arm 69, preferably U-shaped in cross section, rotatably disposed on the shaft 68. The rotation of the shaft 68 is transmitted to the batting arm 13 through a torque spring 7% having one end 71 thereof engaging a bushing 72 secured to the shaft 68 and another end 73 thereof secured to the batting arm 69 as by engagement with a hook 74 integral with or attached thereto.

The batting arm 69 is held by the releasable holding means or trigger 43 by abutment of the trigger 43 with a transverse pin 76 slideably disposed in aligned slots 77 of the arm 69, the pin 76 being secured to a mass element 78 which is responsive to centrifugal force while the batting arm is rotating, as will be hereinafter explained, to force the mass 78 in a direction away from the axis of rotation, i.e., the shaft 68, to the position shown in FIG. 7 whereby the pin 76 revolves about the axis 63 in spaced relationship to the end of the trigger 43.

As the motor 49 is energized to rotate the shaft 63, gear train 67 and shaft 68, the torque spring is wound until a torque is energized within the spring 70 sufficient to overcome the bias of the spring 54 bearing against the arm 41 and thereby rotate the trigger 43 until the trigger 43 reaches a position shown in broken lines 43 in FIG. 4, whereby the pin rides off of the trigger 43 and permits the torque thrust within the spring 70 to be transmitted to the batting arm 69, whereupon one end 79 is rotated around the axis of the shaft 68 and across the axis of the opening 37.

As the trigger 43 of the bell crank 42 is rotated, the arm 41 is rotated into the position 41'. Removal of the arm 41 from the opening 37 and into the position indicated at 41' of FIG. 4, permits a ball 14, in contact with the ball-releasing means, to drop on a semi-circular seat 81 of the housing '11 in the path of the rotating batting arm 69 whereby the arm 69, when in the position indicated in 69 of FIG. 4, will strike the ball to project it outwardly of the housing 11 through the opening 17, being guided, as best seen in FIG. 2 by a longitudinal extension of the curved seat 81. Immediately after the trigger 43 is disengaged from the pin 76 of the arm 69, the bell crank 40 is biased by the spring 54 into a normal position with the arm 41 extending across the opening 37.

The pin 76, having the mass element 78, is normally biased into the end of the slot 77 nearest the axis of the shaft 63 by a spring 83 to hold the pin 76 in engagement with the trigger 43 until a suflicient torque is built up in the spring 70 to cause the arm 69, through the pin 76, to press against the trigger 43 and rotate the bell crank 40, at which time the arm 69, being rapidly rotated by the spring 7%, creates a centrifugal force sufficient to move the mass element 78 outwardly and keep the pin 76 clear of the trigger 43. As the energy rotating the arm 69 is spent and the arm 69 begins to slow down in rotation, the cen trifugal force action on the mass element 78 is decreased sufficiently to allow the spring 83 to return the mass element 78 and the pin 76 into a position where the pin 76 may abut the trigger 43 to stop rotation of the arm 69'. An important feature of this invention is in the abovementioned provision of means to stop the arm 69 without any injurious sudden impact with the trigger 43 which, as previously mentioned in relation to prior art devices, may cause considerable damage to the mechanism.

As long as a ball 14 is supplied by the ball support means 16 and drops into contact with the switch element 44, the motor 49 will continue to rotate and tend to wind up the spring 70. When the arm 69 is halted by the trigger 43, the spring is again wound up until suflicient force is accumulated within the spring 70 to trip the trigger 43 and repeat the aforementioned steps wherein the successive ball 14 is released by the ball-releasing means and falls into the path of the swinging arm 69 to be projected thereby. When a final ball 14 has been projected, there is no force acting on the switch 44 to close the circuit 47 when the bell crank 40 is returned to its normal position by spring 54, whereby the circuit 47 is open at the switch 44 to stop the motor 4-9. This is an important feature of the invention inasmuch as the motor is continually operating while there are balls in the magazine 16 but is shut otl when the magazine is exhausted of balls, thereby extending the life of the battery of cells 52 and resulting in increased savings in the use of the apparatus.

As previously mentioned, the trajectory of the balls 14 being projected is adjusted by manipulation of the standard 22. It is another important object of this invention to additionally provide improved means for adjusting the distance at which the ball is projected.

For this purpose, the tension of the spring 54 is adjustable to vary the resistance thereof to the force acting on the arm 69 to trip the trigger 43 and thereby governs the amount of thrust force necessary to trip the trigger. As best seen in FIGURES 6 and 8, the spring 54 is provided with a hooked end 86 in engagement with the arm 41 of the bell crank 40 and an end 87 anchored in a bushing 88 secured to a shaft 89. The shaft 89 is manually rotatable by a knob 91 extending outwardly of the housing 11 and is rotatably supported by a bracket 92 secured to the bracket 39. The bracket 92 includes a plurality of circumferentially disposed apertures 93, while the knob 91 includes a detent 94 engageable with a selective aperture 93 to increase or decrease the tension of spring 54. The detent 94 is normally urged into an aperture 93 by a spring washer or the like 96 interposed between the bushing 83 and an inner surface of the bracket 92, such bias being overcome by manual outward extension of the knob 91 against the bias of the spring washer 96 whereby the knob may be rotated to another position dictated by another aperture 93. It has been found that a range of from five to thirty feet may be easily accomplished by this instant method. As the tension in the spring 54 is lessened, less thrust force built in the torque spring 70 is required to release the trigger 43, and conversely, when the tension in spring 54 is increased, a greater thrust force accomplished by the spring 7 0 is required to trip the spring 43, thereby transmitting a greater thrust force to the arm 69 to strike the ball 14 with greater force and project the ball 14 a greater distance.

Referring to FIGURE 10, another embodiment of this invention is illustrated which incorporates another form of magazine or feeding means for the apparatus 10. A not 100, having a circular or other configuration and sloped so as to feed a ball 14 thrown therein is removably secured to the extension 36 of the housing '10 by means of a net-supporting frame 101 having free ends 102 inserted into the apertures 34 adjacent to the extension. The frame may be additionally supported on the ground, as by legs 103 secured, rigidly or hingedly, to the frame 1131. The net 109 includes a lower portion 104 which communicates with the opening 37 whereby a user of the apparatus may return a ball to the apparatus by throwing the ball into the net 109, after which the ball is guided into the opening 36. The ball 14 then actuates the switch blade 44 to turn on the motor 49 causing the cycle of projecting of the ball to commence as previously described.

A very economically operated game device is thereby provided whereby, after the ball 14 is projected from the apparatus 19 the motor circuit is broken, stopping use of the battery cells until another ball is either fed by the magazine 16 or by the net 100. Thus, life of the battery cells is greatly increased, allowing the cells to restore their power when inactive.

By this means, the apparatus may be used for catching or batting practice in response to balls projected by the apparatus until the magazine 16 is exhausted of balls, or optionally for catching and throwing practice, by throwing the ball into the net replacing the magazine 16 to feed the ball back into the apparatus. In each instance,

the motor circuit is closed and the battery cells used only when a ball is positioned in the apparatus for actuation of the projecting cycle.

While we have herein shown and described what we conceived to be the most desired form of our invention, it is to be understood that alterations and modifications thereof may be made in a manner to satisfy the spirit of our invention which is intended to comprehend any and all equivalent devices as comprehended in the following claims.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An apparatus for projecting balls, comprising a magazine adapted to support a plurality of balls; means for releasing one ball at a time from said magazine; projecting means for successively projecting each of said released balls, means for intermittently and cyclically operating said releasing means and said projecting means, means for automatically halting said operating means when said magazine is exhausted of balls, and means responsive to centrifugal force for low impact halting of said projecting means after projection of each of said balls.

2. An apparatus for projecting balls, comprising: a magazine adapted to support a plurality of balls; means for releasing one ball at a time from said magazine; a projecting arm for successively projecting said released balls; spring means operatively associated with said projecting arm for intermittently driving said arm; means for continually energizing said spring means; releasable holding means associated with said arm; means releasably responsive to energization of said spring means for holding said arm until after said spring means has been energized, said ball-releasing means being releasable during movement of said arm for releasing a ball into the path of said arm, whereby balls are successively and intermittently projected by said arm in a predetermined path; said apparatus including means, responsive to centrifugal force, for low impact halting of said arm after projection of each of said balls and ole-energization of said spring means.

3. A ball-projecting apparatus comprising a housing having an opening; a magazine adapted to support a plurality of balls; means for releasing one ball at a time from said magazine and into said housing; projecting means rotatably mounted in said housing for projecting successive balls outwardly of said housing through said opening of said housing; energizing means adjacent said projecting means and adapted to be continually actuated by an electric circuit; spring means operatively associated with said projecting means and said energizing means, said spring means being continually energized by said energizing means for energizing said projecting means; and releasable holding means operatively associated with said projecting means for holding said projecting means for energization thereof; and means whereby said releasable holding means is responsive to energization of said spring means for releasing said projecting means after energization of said spring means and said ball-releasing means is releasable during rotation of said projecting means, whereby balls are continuously, successively and intermittently projected in a predetermined path; said apparatus including means responsive to centrifugal force for low impact halting of said arm after projection of each of said balls and de-energization of said spring means.

4. A ball-projecting apparatus comprising a housing having an opening; a magazine adapted to support a plurality of balls; means for releasing one ball at a time from said magazine and into said housing; projecting means rotatably mounted in said housing for projecting successive balls outwardly 012 said housing through said opening of said housing; energizing means adjacent said projecting means and adapted to be continually actuated by an electric circuit; spring means operatively associated with said projecting means and said energizing means, said spring means being continually energized by said energizing means for energizing sai'd'projecting means; and releasable holding means operatively'associated with said projecting means for holding said projecting means for energization thereof; and means whereby said releasable holding means is responsive to energization of said spring means for releasing said projecting means after energization of said spring means and said ball-releasing means is releasable during rotation of said projecting means, Whereby balls are continuously, successively and intermittently projected in a predetermined path; said ball-releasing means including trigger means adjacent said projecting means and said releasable holding means including a mass element slidably disposed on said projecting means, pin means in said mass element and engageable with said trigger means and spring means for biasing said pin means into engagement with said trigger means for holding said projecting means during energization of said spring means, said pin means and said trigger means being disengaged during rotation of said projecting means after energization thereof and responsive to centrifugal force to retain said pin means out of engagement with said trigger means until after de energization of said spring means.

5. An apparatus 'for projecting balls comprising: a housing having an opening, ball support means on said housing adapted to support a plurality of balls; an arm rotatably supported in said housing; means for releasing one ball at a time from said support means and into the path of one end of said arm for projection by said arm when said arm is rotated; continual impulse drive means in said housing for continually intermittently rotating said arm to project successive released balls through said opening and outwardly of said housing in a predetermined '8 trajectory and means for automatically halting said impulse drive means when said {ball support means is exhausted of balls; said apparatus including means responsive to diminishing centrifugal force of said spring means for arresting said rotationof said arm.

6. An apparatus for projecting balls comprising: a ballfeeding means adapted to receive a ball; means for releasing the ball from said feeding means; projecting means for projecting the released ball; means for intermittently and cyclically operating said releasing means and said projecting means; and means for automatically halting said operating means when said ball is projected; said ball-feeding means including a net means, said net means being transverse to the direction of projection of said ball and sloped so as to feed said ball into a position relative to said releasing means; said halting means being responsive to centrifugal force fior low impact halting of said projecting means after projection of said ball.

References fitted in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,648,469 Adamson et a1 Nov. 8, 1927 1,709,399 Herlach et al Apr. 16, 1929 1,777,976 Lacoste Oct. 7, 1930 1 916,680 Miller July 4, 1933 2,505,972 Johnson May 2, 1950 2,577,186 Florer Dec. 4, 1951 2,585,939 Atwell Feb. 19, 1952 2,603,203 Herold July 15, 1952 2,684,246 Soroka July 20, 1954 2,726,649 Horlick Dec. 13, 1955 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR PROJECTING BALLS, COMPRISING A MAGAZINE ADAPTED TO SUPPORT A PLURALITY OF BALLS; MEANS FOR RELEASING ONE BALL AT A TIME FROM SAID MAGAZINE; PROJECTING MEANS FOR SUCCESSIVELY PROJECTING EACH OF SAID RELEASED BALLS, MEANS FOR INTERMITTENTLY AND CYLICALLY OPERATING SAID RELEASING MEANS AND SAID PROJECTING MEANS, MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY HALTING SAID OPERATING MEANS WHEN SAID MAGAZINE IS EXHAUSTED OF BALLS, AND MEANS RESPONSIVE TO CENTRIFUGAL FORCE FOR LOW IMPACT HALTING OF 